"We're missing Reda and John, so hopefully the players can perform and take their chance." Coventry City's Tony Mowbray

20 October 2015

Matt Joyce

The Sky Blues boss talks about Johnson's injury and what to expect from Rochdale here...

Coventry City manager Tony Mowbray is hoping that the players replacing Reda Johnson and John Fleck for tonight's game can take their chance against Rochdale.

Johnson is out of tonight's clash at Spotland after being injured against Blackpool at the weekend, while Fleck was booked in the same game which takes his tally to five bookings for the season, which results in a one-game ban.

It means that Mowbray will have to shuffle the pack at Spotland, a ground City have already visited earlier this season - earning a 1-1 draw in the Capital One Cup before bowing out on penalties.

That game is an indicator of what's to come from the home side according to the City boss and he wants his players to draw on a positive display at the Dale from earlier in the season.

"We've been to Rochdale and we know what's coming from that game," the manager said.

"They're a decent side and the last time we came up against them it was an interesting game. For 20 minutes we didn't see the ball but by the end of the game we were unfortunate not to get a late winner.

"We know whats round the corner, obviously we'd prefer to go into it with Reda of course because of the aspects of their team which are direct, they can play off Andrew and Vincenti. Reda would have given us an answer, he was scanned yesterday and we've not had the results.

"John Fleck at times is the oil in the machine so they'll be two misses. But we have a squad of players who are looking forward to the game and some who may not have had minutes recently, so hopefully they can perform and take their chance."